


ashes to ashes (dust to dust)

by sunsetozier



Series: tumblr prompts [4]
Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: F/M, M/M, infinity war's The Snap, this hurt to write
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 10:20:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15362367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunsetozier/pseuds/sunsetozier
Summary: From where Ben currently stands, the water glimmering in front of him, the sand soft beneath his feet and the breeze gentle in his hair, he chooses to believe that this is not their last day, no matter how much is may feel like it. He chooses to believe that this is their first day in a new world – because the world will be different tomorrow, he knows. It will change, somehow, and become a completely different place. He isn’t sure how he knows this, but he thinks it’s similar to when an animal can feel a storm coming long before a human can. He can feel it, in a way. He can tell that something big will happen.[In which someone requested a losers club + infinity war's The Snap.]





	ashes to ashes (dust to dust)

**Author's Note:**

> if you haven't seen infinity war, this will not make sense.
> 
> this is for bob-newby-superhero on tumblr, who requested "The Losers + Infinity War's The Snap(tm) AU" !!

            It’s a nice day, Ben thinks.

            The sun’s out, not blisteringly hot but just warm enough to be comfortable. Despite the wonderful weather, the beach is empty. Everyone else in the world is inside right now, poised in front of their TV’s and waiting with baited breath for an updated on whatever the hell is happening this time. As of this morning, when Mike knocked on all their doors and asked them to have a day out together, there’s no word on the situation. All they know is Tony Stark is MIA and Steve Rogers was seen getting on an aircraft rumored to be headed for Wakanda, so whatever it is, it has to be big.

            But the losers collectively decided not to give a fuck, because if it’s the end of the world and today’s their last day, they don’t want to spend it in fear. No, they want to spend it together, having fun.

            From where Ben currently stands, the water glimmering in front of him, the sand soft beneath his feet and the breeze gentle in his hair, he chooses to believe that this is not their last day, no matter how much is may feel like it. He chooses to believe that this is their first day in a new world – because the world will be different tomorrow, he knows. It will change, somehow, and become a completely different place. He isn’t sure how he knows this, but he thinks it’s similar to when an animal can feel a storm coming long before a human can. He can feel it, in a way. He can tell that something big will happen.

            And he knows all of them can feel it, if the way silence settles over them is anything to go by. Up until this point, they’d been enjoying themselves, going back and forth from splashing around in the ocean and relaxing in the sand. It’s eerily reminiscent to their childhood, when they would spend their days at the Quarry, staying in the water until they pruned and lounging around on the rocks until they were sunburned. Perhaps that’s why they decided to come, for the sake of nostalgia.

            Wordlessly, Ben shuffles towards the person closest to him, who happens to be Richie, standing about a foot to his left. He sees everyone else move as well, reaching for the nearest loser, but he doesn’t focus on it too much as he silently allows Richie to pull him into a hug. “You’re a god damn treasure, Haystack,” he whispers into Ben’s hair, and he thinks he hears a sniffle, but he can’t be sure.

            “And you’re a fucking nuisance, Trashmouth,” Ben retorts softly, but he returns the embrace whole-heartedly. “But I love you anyway.”

            Richie lets out a wet laugh, presses a chaste kiss to the crown of Ben’s head, and then they part from each other. That’s enough. That’s all they need, because the truth is beyond words. Richie offers Ben a wobbly grin, which he shakily returns, and then they turn to the next person. Richie yanks Beverly into his arms and Ben places a hand on Mike’s shoulder, sharing a pained yet loving look before clutching onto each other like their life depends on it.

            He wishes it did, because they would never let each other die. Not if they could prevent it.

            This feeling, though, whatever it is. This is not preventable.

            “I love you,” he says, six times over, and they don’t properly amount to how he feels for these people, but he knows that they know.

            “I love you, too,” he hears, and he knows they mean more than what they can say. And in a way, the entire moment is heartwarming, all of them standing in the water and expressing how much they care for one another. A little bittersweet, sure, but still heartwarming.

            But everyone’s hearts begin to break when they start to hear distant screams from the city. Not pained screams, no – or, at least, not the screams of someone who’s been physically injured. They are screams of anguish, of confusion and agony; screams of names of the people who are starting to disappear. And it is Bill who speaks up, which is not at all a surprise, and he says, “Whatever it is, I’m glad I’m here with you guys.” His tone is soft, and it is genuine, and it is afraid.

            Ben extends his arm and grabs Bill’s hand, who grabs Stan’s, who grabs Mike’s, who grabs Beverly’s, who grabs Richie’s, who immediately lets out a cry as he tries to grab Eddie’s and Eddie’s hand begins to dissipate against his palm. Releasing Beverly entirely, Richie reaches over, holds onto Eddie’s shoulder and lets out a hoarse, “No!” before his grip falls through the thin air where Eddie once stood. Faintly, they can hear what was Eddie’s voice, but all they can make out is Richie’s name before it gets lost in the breeze. Body slumping forward, Richie falls to his hands and knees, heaving in pained breaths that get caught in his throat, mingling with rough sobs. Ben swallows thickly, feels his eyes burning, but does not look away. Around him, he hears the others let out shocked gasps as Richie digs his hands into the sand and shakes his head desperately.

            “Guys,” Bill tries, voice strained as he tries to be the leader, tries to be the one to make them stronger and get them through this, but his words lilt at the end and suddenly Ben’s hand is empty, too. When he looks over, he only manages to get a glimpse of Bill’s terrified eyes before he’s gone.

            Richie looks up, tears streaking his cheeks as he stares at where Bill was, only to quickly withdraw his hands from the sand and look down at them in alarm. Ben watches, frozen in petrified shock, as Richie’s fingertips begin to turn to dust. “Oh,” is all Richie gets out before the rest of him follows suit.

            To his left, he hears Stan release a broken sob, and when Ben looks over he sees him huddled into Mike’s side with an arm around Beverly. The three of them cry, and Beverly reaches for Ben, beckoning him to join them, wishing to seek comfort from his presence.

            Ben swallows roughly, tears of his own leaking out of the corners of his eyes. He takes a step forward, reaching for Beverly’s hand. His foot never reaches the ground, but he feels the tips of their fingers brush together before he disappears.

**Author's Note:**

> this hurt so bad to write i made myself cry and it's almost one in the morning why
> 
> hmu on tumblr and yell at me for making this @ sunsetozier


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